Bridge between Scotland and Ireland

There is a little bit more to it than that. For instance, at least up until the 60s children were beaten for speaking Welsh at school. For a language with quite a significant historical and current literature that was oppressive. Though no doubt done for the best of reasons. Flooding and depopulating (usually in that order) large tracts of land for water for English cities with no democratic say nor any of the income going to Wales was another. Many of these grievances not longer apply, of course.

Of course, but like all the fanatical Brexiteers who go on about their 'grandads fighting in the war to stop us all having to speak German ...', some people seem to hang onto this stuff for a long time (even if was never likely / true etc).

When on a family motorcycle camping trip a few years back and whilst in a small bookshop in Nth Wales [1], we overheard the shopkeeper lady talking to a customer in Welsh. The customer left and we spoke to her (not sure how she would respond (language)) and she replied in perfect English. We were both impressed and humbled re someone having such language skills and pleased to hear they / some were trying to keep their native language going.

Cheers, T i m

In message snipped-for-privacy@candehope.me.uk>, charles snipped-for-privacy@candehope.me.uk> writes

They might indeed. Should the IoM and CIs also be invited to join the party?

The logical advance on that is for London to become independent. Given it subsidises pretty well the rest of the UK. Or just let the rust belt parts of England fend for themselves. After all they're the ones who got us in this brexit mess.

I find your delusions most fascinating

shades of "Passport to Pimlico".

There was a sort of implication somewhere that wheelsets had been built to the same dimension at the intersection of the cone and the flange, so that the gauge increase gave a little relief, especially on curves.

Plowman's another remoaner who can't let go of Mamma EU's apron strings.

Generally it was North Wales that was the worst - people switching from English to Welsh when a stranger came in, pubs where strangers were made to feel very uncomfortable. The South was much more open. These days Welsh is used more, but as an everyday language and doesn't seem to be used to exclude people in the same way. I've visited Wales on and off for forty-odd years and that's what I've seen. I have Welsh relatives too, but they are mainly in the South.

SteveW

We have relatives there. Some of whom are quite elderly and we have no idea how much longer they'll be around. A road link would allow us to visit them more often and not need us to fly at all, even for sudden visits (such as funerals, where the notice can be short - less than 18 hours in one case - as they don't hang around). Are visits to elderly relatives to be limited?

SteveW

The language is also used as a way of keeping Welsh jobs for the Welsh. Not many people brought up outside Wales think "I'll learn Welsh, it opens up all sorts of opportunities".

All of left thinking is a regression to childhood - think nanny state - or to atavistic hunter gathering - think 'the world belongs to everyone'.

Most people grow out of it at puberty.

I think quite a number do if they move to an area with significant Welsh language use.

Indeed. There's a hilarious thread on a well know parenting forum where someone is whinging that because they can't speak Welsh, they can't get a job with a Welsh local authority and it's all so unfair ...

Although offset by the English who have lived there years, and still don't know that "Araf" means "Slow", or Nyw means "gas".

And you haven't a clue how society works. Just out for yourself in the shortest possible term. Typical of many Brexiteers. Conned by those charlatans Farage and Johnston.

Or taxis having to be bilingually spelt tacsi in case the locals have never seen the letter X before.

APT was required to go round corners on the existing track. The ultimate straw which broke the camels back was brake failures.

No marching on bridges.